Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Dr. Fred Koontz and Bobbi Miller, Conservation Team

Tigers have always been around, right? Who didn’t grow up seeing Tony the Tiger hawking breakfast cereal, watching Tigger bounce (“Bouncing is what Tiggers do best”) across the pages of Winnie the Pooh, or hearing the story of How the Tiger Got His Stripes? The fictional tigers that brought us a happy childhood are still around, and will be for generations to come, but can the same be said for the real deal—tigers in the wild?

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Today we focus on those real-life wild tigers, and what can be done to ensure that they too remain for generations to come.

Global Tiger Day was set aside to promote the protection of wild tigers and their habitat, and to further awareness and support for their conservation. If there was ever an animal that needed our protection, it’s the majestic tiger.

Photo courtesy of Reuben Clements

Just over 100 years ago there were as many as 100,000 wild tigers living in Asia. Today there are fewer than 3,200 wild tigers, with only 7% of their original habitat remaining in 13 Asian countries. In the last 80 years, three subspecies of tigers; Javan, Caspian and Bali, have gone extinct in the wild. That leaves five subspecies to be saved—which is what today is all about.

Here at Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ), with your help we’re doing something to save those remaining tigers. In 2012, WPZ joined forces with Panthera’s Tigers Forever Program, and on-the-ground partners Rimba and Pemantau-Hijau in Malaysia to protect the Malayan tiger. In collaboration with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and in concert with Malaysia’s National Tiger Action Plan, our collaborative project aims to assess the status of critically endangered Malayan tigers where they live, protecting not only these iconic cats, but their habitat and prey species as well.

While the numbers are low—less than 350 Malayan tigers left in the wild—we are optimistic that with your help, we can increase those numbers. Here’s what’s happening that gives us hope:

Camera traps have revealed core habitat to protect

In 2014, Rimba, our partner on the ground in Malaysia, assisted DWNP in setting up nearly 200 camera traps throughout our research site. Information gathered provides a baseline on the status of tigers and other threatened species, including leopards, clouded leopards, sambar deer, Malayan tapirs and Asian elephants. Initial results confirm the presence of tigers, but that the primary prey base of sambar deer is low, likely due to human hunting. This gives Rimba and DWNP the critical information they need in order to begin protecting those tigers and finding ways to protect their prey base.

Photo credit Courtesy of Rimba.

Several poachers arrested

Permantau Hijau (“Green Monitor” in Malay) is our partner organization that supports the researchers and government agencies in monitoring Malaysia’s changing natural environment. Through the use of state-of-the-art technology, the team is able to achieve real-time detection of activities threatening natural resources. Their work on the ground has already contributed to the arrest of seven foreign poachers on two separate occasions in joint enforcement operations with the army and police in our project area.

Documenting an illegal campsite near the Taman Negara border - Photo courtesy of Suzalinur Manja Bidin, MYCAT.

Citizen involvement

Another exciting component of the project is our involvement with the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT). MYCAT conducts citizen conservationist trips—called “Cat (Citizen Action for Tigers) Walks.” Over the course of several days, regular citizens like you and I traverse parts of the Yu River Wildlife Corridor. These “voluntourists” do not act as law enforcement and don’t confront criminals or poachers. What they do is supplement law enforcement officers by increasing the number of eyes and boots on the ground. While on these walks, they collect data to help enforce wildlife conservation laws and notify authorities of any sign of poachers in the area.

Foot patrol along the Taman Negara border. Photo courtesy of Suzalinur Manja Bidin, MYCAT.

Washington Leading the Way

Finally, WPZ is partnering with Vulcan on Citizen’s Initiative 1401. I-1401 is a Washington state ballot measure that is designed to help save animals threatened with extinction. The measure would prohibit the purchase, sale, and distribution of products made from a list of 10 endangered animal groups being exploited to the point of potential extinction, and will be enforced by strong penalties. The animals protected by I-1401 include elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, marine turtles, pangolins, sharks and rays. To learn more, check out www.zoo.org/yeson1401 for current news.

Here are a few things you can do to help us in our fight to save tigers.

1. Come to WPZ and see our three tiger brothers– Liem, Eko and Olan, then learn more about our conservation program to save tigers in Malaysia. The WPZ-Panthera Malayan Tiger partnership is highlighted in the Banyan Wilds “field house,” a conservation action center going in to depth on our project.

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo

2. Purchase the first-class “Save Vanishing Species” tiger stamp. Whether to save, or use, these stamps feature a graphic depiction of an Amur tiger cub. Your purchase benefits conservation projects that re helping create hope for the future for tigers, and other endangered species. As of October, 2012, over $1.74 million has been raised to protect and conserve endangered species.

3. Vote yes on I-1401 this November. Help us be the first state to take a strong stance against the illegal trafficking of wild animal parts. Working together, we can win the race against extinction. We can save threatened animals! Join the campaign. Help get the word out. Make a donation. And vote YES on I-1401!

Thank you for supporting tigers Liem, Eko and Olan here at the zoo and tigers all around the world by sharing #GlobalTigerDay with your friends.

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications

Conservationists and rangers are real heroes working to protect tigers and their habitat. In May, we asked young MyZoo magazine readers to create their own thank you posters and we’d send them straight to our colleagues in the tropical forests of Malaysia.

Drum roll please…

Suhyeon Choi, age 8, won the Grand prize (ages 7-10) which includes a zoo Overnight Adventure on August 15, 2015. Congratulations Suhyeon! This is what Suhyeon had to say about tigers, "I love tigers because they are cute yet fierce and I love animals all the same". We couldn’t agree more. Suhyeon’s creativity and her rainbow palette really stood out to the judges.

Ella Gruner, age 6, won the Grand prize (ages 3-6) which includes a tiger ZooParent adoption and plush! When asked why she loves tigers, Ella said, “I love tigers because they live in one of my favorite places, the jungle.” We really loved her delicate tiger drawing as well as the amazing penmanship and tiger font! Way to go, Ella!

Reece Holberg, age 8 and Hannah Harms, age 6 were our two lucky runners up and will each receive a Woodland Park Zoo t-shirt and giraffe feeding tickets.

Thanks to all the awesome entries, we have a beautiful stack of "Thank You" posters to send to our colleagues who are dedicated to protecting tigers. We will send copies of ALL of the entries to our field partners in Malaysia to thank them for being tiger heroes.

Field researcher Wai Yee checks a camera trap used to study tiger populations in the area.

It takes a team of heroes.

Thank YOU for supporting Woodland Park Zoo and our conservation partners in Malaysia and all across the globe who protect wildlife and wild spaces.

Andrew Barrett, age 9. Your collage skills are fantastic, Andrew!

Jamison Oleksy, age 8. Two tigers, two mediums and one fine masterpiece!

Sophia Lee Honton, age 7. These are the best tiger gifts we'd ever seen! She even labeled each package.

Artist unknown, but we love that purple!

Vivian Anschell, age 7, a little collaboration with her grandmother Janelle Loewen. We think they make a pretty awesome team!

Posted by: Eli Weiss, Education

Originally published July 24, 2015 on Raikes Foundation blog

Summer is here and at Woodland Park Zoo our youth programs are in full swing. On our 92 acre grounds and beyond, middle and high school students find a place to learn and grow outside of the classroom, through participation in the ZooCrew and ZooCorps programs. We provide youth an opportunity to make real life connections to science, develop communication and job skills and explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and conservation careers. Each year 300+ middle- and high-school-aged youth are engaged in free out-of-school time and summer programs, which are rooted in youth development best practices.

In 2014, with support from the City of Seattle Families and Education Levy, we piloted the ZooCrew Summer Learning Experience, a new, five-week hands-on STEM program for middle school students that takes on summer learning loss with a fresh new approach. What makes our program unique? We strive for a seamless integration of academic and enrichment elements. In ZooCrew, participants spend less time in a traditional classroom setting and more time digging into science practice through outside investigations and field trips around the region.

ZooCrew at the Cedar River watershed.

Currently our second cohort of ZooCrew Summer students from Asa Mercer, Washington and Denny Middle Schools are engaged in a summer of learning focused on a watershed theme. Over the course of the program, students will engage in weekly science investigations and field trips as they deepen their understanding of each part of the watershed. For many students this will be the first time they have visited local sites, including the Cedar River watershed, Snoqualmie pass, a salmon hatchery and a water treatment plant. In addition to developing science and communication skills, participants keep their math and literacy skills sharp through activities that tie into the theme. Our ZooCrew participants are also developing a STEM identity through interactions with experts and investigations that make science learning exciting and relevant.

Julia, a student at Asa Mercer Middle School and a participant in our ZooCrew afterschool and summer programs recently shared: “In ZooCrew, we act like scientists, we make observations, we do experiments, we work on projects. I learned more about people who go out into the field and actually work with animals and you don’t have to be in a lab always to do science.”

ZooCrew students observe animals and write in their nature journals. Photo by Caitlin Potter/Woodland Park Zoo.

By providing dynamic opportunities for youth who might not otherwise have the access to science and STEM enrichment programs, we are helping to reduce summer learning loss and providing pathways for students to develop a love of learning and a positive, hands-on connection to science.

Posted by: Achmad Ariefiandy, Population Monitoring of Komodo Dragons in Komodo National Park, a Woodland Park Zoo Wildlife Survival Fund project

Editor’s Note: Woodland Park Zoo has been supporting Komodo dragon conservation in the wild for more than 15 years through the Wildlife Survival Fund. You can see Komodo dragons at the zoo in the Adaptations Building and join us in celebrating Asian Wildlife Conservation Day, Saturday, August 8, 2015.

The field project conducts an annual study to measure growth as an indicator of population demographics, foundational data for effective conservation strategies for this vulnerable species. They share this update from the field:

Researcher doing some measurements on the baby dragon. Photo by Achmad Ariefiandy.

Researchers from the Komodo Survival Program conducted an annual demographic study on two main sites, Loh Liang on Komodo Island and Loh Buaya on Rinca Island. The team set up eight 3-meter-long aluminum traps baited with goat meat. The traps were deployed for three days before being moved to other locations for a total of 64 trapping locations. The team checked the traps twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon. If a Komodo dragon was captured, the team measured the animal before release at the site of capture. Traps were distributed in order to cover the entire deciduous monsoon forest valleys of Loh Liang and Loh Buaya, the preferred habitat type of Komodo dragons. Distance between traps was approximately 500 meters (approximately a third of a mile). This meant the researchers walked an average of 8 – 12 kilometers a day (between 5 and 8 miles) to set up and check the traps.

During this year's field work, the team successfully captured and measured 90 dragons. Sixty-eight of them were animals that had been captured before (previously tagged) and the other 22 animals were new captures. Two of these were young dragons. However, these young dragons were not captured in the traps because they were too small and too weary to enter the trap. Researchers found the youngsters on trees and captured them there. Following capture, the team measured the young lizards, a process that takes less than 20 minutes. After being measured, the young dragons were released to the trees.

Baby dragon basking on a tree branch. Photo by Achmad Ariefiandy.

Late February to early April is the time of the year when Komodo dragon eggs hatch after approximately 8 month of incubation. The female lays the eggs in a 6.5 inch-deep nest chamber. At this depth, the temperature is stable and warm enough for the eggs to incubate, and they are also safe from predators, including other dragons. The female dragon also makes several camouflage chambers in order to deceive potential predators. The reason she does this is because she guards the nest for only the first four months of incubation. She then leaves the nest to return to her activities, including hunting. After the eggs have hatched, the babies will dig their way up to the nest surface and then climb up the nearest trees to avoid predators. They will spend their first year in trees until they are large enough to return to the ground.

After conducting necessary measurements, the baby dragon was released again to the tree where it was captured. Photo by Nicholas Cegalerba.

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

The future weighs 2 ounces.

We’re at the edge of the pond, and there are leaves scattered in the water that are bigger than the turtle in my hands.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

But now that it’s large enough to avoid the mouths of predators such as invasive bullfrogs, this turtle has a big role to play.

After hatching and getting a head start at life behind the scenes at Woodland Park Zoo, turtle #5 and 24 others are off to their next great adventure: rebuilding the wild population of native western pond turtles in Washington state.

Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Western pond turtles were once common from Baja California to Puget Sound, including the Columbia River Gorge. However, loss of habitat, commercial exploitation for food, disease and introduced predators, such as bullfrogs and large-mouth bass, decimated their numbers.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

In 1990, only about 150 western pond turtles remained in two populations in the state of Washington. Over the last 24 years, the collaborative Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project between Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Zoo and other partners has saved Washington’s last two wild populations, established four new populations, and head started and released approximately 2,150 turtles.

Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Recent surveys indicate that at least 800 of those released turtles have survived and continue to thrive. At some sites, evidence has been found to indicate that wild hatchlings also are surviving.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

That’s the challenge ahead for turtle #5 and the others. Survive and thrive—and bring the next generation into the world.

#5 doesn’t yet feel the pressure. Its instincts kick in and it swims away, off to find a meal or a place to sun.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Within a few seconds, it’s disappeared into the depths of the protected wetlands.

But we’re not going anywhere.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists will continue to monitor the turtles to track their progress and protect their nesting sites.

Nesting site with protective wiring. Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

In the season ahead, a portion of eggs and hatchlings will be collected and transported to Woodland Park Zoo and Oregon Zoo where they will get a head start on life and can grow in safety.

A number of eggs from earlier this season have already been brought to the zoo and have been incubating for weeks. As if sensing the momentousness of the day, the very first turtle of the next class began hatching this morning.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Today this tiny turtle's only job is to emerge from its shell. By this time next year, it'll be ready for release. Then we’ll return to pond’s edge holding the weight of the Northwest’s wild future in our hands—all two ounces of it.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

You can help carry the load. Saving native turtles isn’t just the work of biologists. At the core of Woodland Park Zoo’s Living Northwest conservation program is a commitment to build living landscapes where communities—and people just like you—find ways to coexist with local wildlife.

Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

What you do in your own backyard can make a huge difference. In honor of turtle #5, here are 5 ways you can help native turtles.

1. Reduce pollutants to native turtle habitat by eliminating chemical pesticides from your gardening practices.

2. Improve the quality of wildlife habitat necessary for native turtle survival by joining a habitat restoration program in your community and using native plants in your own yard.

3. Use a reputable source when purchasing or adopting pet turtles and make sure the species is legal to own and the animals have been sourced legally.

4. Take care not to release unwanted pets or animals into wild habitat—invasive species can outcompete or prey on native turtles. Call your local animal shelter to find a new home for an unwanted pet.

5. Support Woodland Park Zoo and other organizations working to conserve endangered turtles. Tell your friends about turtle conservation and ways they can help, share this story online, take a trip to the zoo with friends and family to learn more, make a donation to the zoo’s conservation program…there are many ways to show your support and help us make a difference for turtles!

Posted by: Alissa Wolken, Communications
Photos by: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo

The tools of the trade for hand raising a wallaroo joey:

1. A heavy duty pillowcase-like pouch for sleepy time
2. A handmade bottle adapter equipped with customized parts all the way from Australia for feedings
3. A kangaroo plush so the baby can redirect his playful bites and kicks at something other than one of us!
4. A lot of patience, a lot of compassion, and a sharp focus on letting a wallaroo be a wallaroo

When it became apparent at six-and-a-half months of age that wallaroo joey, Yuri, wasn’t receiving from his mother the nutrition he needed to grow, we were ready to step in. But just as importantly when hand raising an animal, we’ve been getting ready to step back out.

For Yuri, first it took a village, but now it takes a (wallaroo) mob.

The first days of hand raising

Upon the first signs that intervention was needed, Yuri was taken to the zoo’s Animal Health Complex where he was continuously monitored and put on a rigorous bottle feeding schedule. While he spent most of his time initially in a pouch, veterinary technicians were with him 24 hours a day to feed him, hold him, medicate him and meet all of his needs,” said Senior Veterinary Technician Harmony Frazier.

“Staff veterinarians checked in on his status daily and routinely ran blood and fecal tests. We were primarily monitoring his growth. We wanted Yuri to gain about 50 grams a day before he could return to the Australasia exhibit full time.”

Just 10 days later, Yuri began one-hour-a-day visits to the exhibit to be reintroduced to the mob (a group of wallaroos). “We didn’t want to rush the integration process at the risk of delaying his growth and development,” said zookeeper Wendy Gardner. “But it remained important that Yuri interact with other wallaroos and exhibit wallaroo behaviors while being hand raised, so we gradually built up the amount of time he spent at Australasia [and with the mob] before bringing him back full time.”

Learning wallaroo ways

One of the most important steps in bringing Yuri back to the unit full time is to reintegrate him with the mob and make sure he exhibits normal wallaroo behavior. “One such behavior that we have observed is his readiness to box and play with his dad, Harry,” said Gardner. “You’ll often see this with females and their joeys and is a normal part of their development; a joey will pull on their mother’s ears, bite and kick and the adults usually just sit and take it. Yuri doesn't have that bond with his mom anymore, but it’s good to see that he is interacting with them, showing these behaviors and getting more comfortable in his new surroundings every day.”

Yuri is gradually spending more time each day with the mob and continuing his hand raising routine with keepers and animal health staff. “He’s getting bigger every day and becoming quite the little powerhouse,” said Gardner. “Most wallaroos sleep quite a bit during the afternoon, but with Yuri, once he’s awake he’s jumping around and ready to go.”

When out on exhibit, Yuri likes to explore. He’s often spotted hopping quickly from one end of the exhibit to the other and jumping on the other wallaroos. “I’ve been very impressed with how self-assured he is and he’s interacting well with the mob, he pays attention to their signals, which is so important, and something we cannot teach him.” said Frazier.

Yuri also has an off-exhibit space to himself where he can eat, sleep and play. “We’ve provided him with enrichment items to encourage wallaroo behaviors,” said Gardner. “He has a plush animal kangaroo that he loves to bite and kick, which allows him to play and be a wallaroo without exhibiting those behaviors on the keepers.”

Along with his playful personality and, for the time being, his small size, Yuri has a very distinguishable characteristic that makes him easy to spot, his ears. “He is very curious and his ears constantly move around as he listens to everything that’s going on,” said Gardner. Yuri is an Aboriginal name meaning “to hear.”

Because he is being hand raised, Yuri spends a significant amount of time around humans. To promote wallaroo behaviors, keepers and animal health staff incorporate enrichment items into his daily routine. Pouches, similar to a pillow case but made from heavier material, are hung up for Yuri to sleep in. “If he were with his mother, he would have to jump into her pouch when he wanted to sleep or eat,” explained Frazier. “We want him to continue those behaviors so we hang up the pouch for him to sleep in and also hold one out for him to jump in before feedings.”

As Yuri continues to grow he will wean off of bottles and begin to eat more solid foods, a process that will take about four to five months. Keepers will also start weaning him from nursing inside the pouch to taking his bottles standing up as a joey at this stage would do naturally.

Eventually Yuri will leave Woodland Park Zoo to start his own family; but for the time being, he continues to steal the hearts of everyone he meets. “Yuri had a rough start and it was touch and go for a while but he was strong and determined to survive,” said Frazier. “It is so rewarding to see him prosper and to know the hard work and long hours have allowed Yuri to have a long, happy and healthy life.”

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

Gorilla Vip is recovering from sinus surgery performed over the weekend. More than 25 medical specialists joined the zoo’s veterinary team and donated their time and expertise to help the 36-year-old, 430-pound gorilla. Vip remains off view in an enclosure at the gorilla exhibit.

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

A similar surgery was performed a year ago on the western lowland gorilla for treatment of a chronic sinus infection. As a result of that successful surgery to remove polyps (growths within the nasal sinuses), Vip was able to breathe normally through his nose for the first time in weeks. In recent days, however, symptoms re-emerged, explained Dr. Darin Collins, Woodland Park Zoo’s director of Animal Health. “It was evident that Vip was experiencing some level of discomfort, likely from a repeat sinus infection. During this second round of surgery, polyps and infection were surgically removed,” said Collins. “We are hopeful that Vip will slowly progress to full recovery over the coming days and weeks. We’ll continue to closely monitor him as he recovers.”

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

This year, a team of allergy and immunology specialists was pulled in to help the zoo further develop diagnostics and treatment options. “In humans, nose and sinus infections are typically recurrent and people describe headache pain and sinus congestion. We hope new treatment options will help mitigate polyps and sinus infections into the future,” added Collins. “Controlling the gorilla’s reaction to allergens may be key to decreasing or preventing new polyps from developing.”

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

“Fortunately, the polyps and infection found in Vip were minor compared to what was found a year ago,” said Greg Davis, M.D., M.P.H., University of Washington (UW) associate professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Director of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, who led last year’s and this year’s surgical medical teams. “We collected many samples, which need interpretation so we may better define the reasons why Vip is getting these sinus infections. We remain cautiously optimistic that Vip will continue to feel well in the days that follow.”

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

A cardiologist also joined the surgical team to administer a routine cardiac ultrasound and EKG as part of the zoo’s preventive health program for its great apes.

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

Most of the medical consultants were from UW, including Kelley Branch, M.D., M.S., UW associate professor of Medicine in the UW Medicine Division of Cardiology, and human and veterinary allergists Drew Ayars, M.D., assistant professor of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and Dan Petroni, M.D., both from UW Medicine. A veterinarian specialist, Kim Coyner, D.V.M., also performed allergy testing on the gorilla. “We are indebted to the medical specialists who each donated their time and expertise for the procedure, and Medtronic, Storz, and Intersect ENT companies who generously provided the equipment and medical personnel, which were critical to making this procedure possible,” added Collins.

McKenna Princing/UW Medicine

Adult male gorillas are referred to as silverbacks. Vip is named for being a Very Important Primate and is the leader of one of the zoo’s three gorilla groups. Visitors and keepers know the silverback as the bedrock of his group. He shares the zoo’s East exhibit with two females, daughter Uzumma, 7, and adult mate Jumoke, 30. Since arriving at the zoo in 1996, Vip has sired six daughters and continues to be a supporting figure for his group.

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo supports conservation efforts for the critically endangered western lowland gorilla through the Mbeli Bai Study, one of the zoo’s Partners for Wildlife. The study researches the social organization and behaviors of more than 400 lowland gorillas living in the southwest of Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. The data collected enables scientists to assess the vulnerability of populations to habitat threats and predict their ability to recover from decline.

Posted by: Laura McComesky, Zookeeper

Today is World Orangutan Day and in honor of our fab five, we know you'll love seeing how we celebrated orangutan awareness—and how you can take a role in helping save endangered Sumatran and Bornean orangutans—during our Asian Wildlife Conservation Day earlier this month.

Tropical fruit generously provided to the orangutans by Uwajimaya. Photo by Laura McComesky/Woodland Park Zoo.

KIND Snacks was our official sponsor for the day and we thank and applaud them for their commitment to sourcing and using only certified sustainable palm oil. Family-owned Asian grocery Uwajimaya generously contributed a cornucopia of exotic tropical fruits for our orangutans.

Melati delights in the durian and other tropical fruits. Photos by Carolyn Sellar/Woodland Park Zoo.

Not everyone finds the treats as tempting as the orangutans. Photo by Laura McComesky/Woodland Park Zoo.

During our keeper talk, our orangutans enjoyed durian, jackfruit, dragon fruit, tamarind, mini bananas, lychees and sugarcane. It was certainly enjoyed by all, including letting our visitors smell some durian fruit which some guests described as smelling like dirty socks, while others thought it just had a tropical fruit odor.

Chinta tastes dragonfruit provided by Uwajimaya. Photo by Carolyn Sellar/Woodland Park Zoo.

Lots of visitors, young and old, took part in a palm pledge on one of the orangutan’s windows. As a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, Woodland Park Zoo has made a commitment to support certified sustainable palm oil that is deforestation free.

Each handprint adds up to a pledge, and each pledge adds up to hope for wild orangutans. Photo by Laura McComesky/Woodland Park Zoo.

You can help orangutans each and every time you shop. As a consumer, your wise consumer choices can make a difference for orangutans. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has developed a helpful sustainable palm oil shopping guide mobile app you can download to your device to make wise choices about palm oil during your next shopping trip.

Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife, Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Project, works to protect orangutans and their habitats. Every time you visit the zoo, you help make this work possible. Photo: Tim Laman/GPOCP.

Woodland Park Zoo has been helping orangutans in the wild by supporting our conservation partner, Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Project (GPOCP) in West Kalimantan, Indonesia for more than 10 years. We have contributed just over $100,000 in conservation funding to GPOCP, and have spent the past 20 years contributing to Dr. Cheryl Knott’s research on orangutan reproductive cycles.

On behalf of our fab five orangutans, Towan, Chinta, Melati, Heran and Belawan, please celebrate World Orangutan Day and join our quest to help orangutans!

Posted by Alissa Wolken, Communications

Welcome Sam, Woodland Park Zoo’s new male siamang! The 28-year-old male joins female Briony in the Trail of Vines exhibit. And how fitting that this new arrival comes during the Year of the Gibbon, a global effort to raise conservation awareness for these lesser known apes facing the threat of extinction.

Sam first arrived at the zoo in June and was introduced to Briony in the indoor exhibit, and now they are ready to explore their outdoor exhibit together.

Welcome Sam! Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo

“Once we could see that Sam and Briony were getting along and he was familiar with the inside exhibit, we introduced Sam, with Briony, to the outside island exhibit,” says Collection Manager Pat Owen. “He is gradually spending more time out on exhibit; we anticipate it taking time for him to adjust to his new surroundings, because this is the first open air exhibit Sam has experienced.”

Briony showing Sam the ropes (er...vines!). Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Sam was born at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, S.C. and was moved to Los Angeles Zoo at 1 year of age. Sam was brought to Seattle through a recommendation by the Species Survival Plan (SSP) to pair up with Briony after our elderly male, Simon, passed away last year. Sam has not produced any offspring and we don’t expect him to produce any with Briony, but the two are a good companion match.

It didn't take too long for Sam to adjust to the treetop vistas. Here is the brave siamang dangling high in the Trail of Vines. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Although Sam is swinging from the treetops now, it took him a few days to adjust to his new outside space. “During the first few days, he would only move a short distance outside, look around to take it all in and then go back to the indoor exhibit that he was more familiar with. After about a week, he moved all the way out to the middle of the outside exhibit and climbed the very tree that Briony uses to reach the suspended vines. Now that he is more comfortable he’s been climbing up into trees, moving along the vines and browsing on the bamboo vegetation growing in the exhibit.” explains zookeeper Libby Lawson.

Briony and Sam, sitting in a tree... Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Briony and Sam. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Sam also is hitting it off with his new companion Briony, too! “Each day seems to bring them closer together,” said zookeeper Laura McComesky. “We’ve seen a lot of grooming sessions and resting their heads together, vocalizing together and playing together. It is very exciting to watch their relationship grow.” Siamangs are very social animals, so we are thrilled to see Briony and Sam bonding.

Stop by the Trail of Vines exhibit to say hello to Sam. He’s a bit longer than Briony and has longer arms and legs. Once in a while you’ll see him suck on one of his big toes, a normal behavior for him since he was hand raised.

Sam's long arms and legs make him easy to spot. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Of all the gibbon species, siamangs form the closest social ties within the family unit. Siamangs are often referred to as “singing apes,” singing so loudly that it can be heard for up to 2 miles, as our neighbors can tell you—Briony and her former partner Simon could be heard from all across the neighborhood! It is believed that singing helps develop bonds between a mated pair.

Earlier this month at Asian Wildlife Conservation Day, visitors tried on the gibbon coat made by designer Ute Monjau-Porath to get a feel for the ape's special proportions built for its life in the trees.

While Briony and Sam have not yet perfected their duet, we are looking forward to hearing their song all across Phinney Ridge, Wallingford and Fremont soon!

Swinging high in the Trail of Vines. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Posted by: Keith Thompson, Colobus Conservation Ltd., a Woodland Park Zoo Wildlife Survival Fund project

For field conservationists dedicated to protecting colobus monkeys, file this one under “Other Duties as Needed.”

Photo courtesy of Colobus Conservation, Ltd.

Colobus Conservation was called about a sea bird that had washed up on the beach of a nearby hotel. On arrival, I was handed a large cardboard box by the manager and told in no uncertain terms to be careful. Upon opening the box I realized why I was getting the warning as I was face-to-face with the razor sharp bill of what we later determined was a masked booby, which is a pelagic diving bird similar to a gannet.

After assessing the bird back at our vet clinic, we observed that there was nothing broken but the bird was severely underweight, exhausted and dehydrated. After a few days of assisted feeding, the bird regained a little of its strength and started to eat on its own. We outfitted one of our rehab enclosures with suitable flooring and a paddling pool.

Photo courtesy of Colobus Conservation, Ltd.

The bird continued to improve and gain weight for the next four weeks before we decided to move on to the next phase of release. Unknown to us, this was not going to be an easy process, and took around six weeks of daily visits to the beach for the booby to regain his ability to fly and to waterproof his feathers.

During this period he became quite the celebrity to tourists and locals alike, flying further and further from shore, but always coming back either by swimming or his preferred method of hitching a ride on his monitor’s surf board.

Photo courtesy of Colobus Conservation, Ltd.

On July 4, 2015, he chose to celebrate Independence Day and flew over the horizon, never to be seen by us again. It was a real challenge and required a huge team effort to reach this conclusion as the rehabilitation of sea birds was alien to us all and is far from easy.

Posted by: Greg Brandell, Animal Care
Photos by: Dennis Dow, Woodland Park Zoo

We here at Woodland Park Zoo recognize and appreciate that all species of animals are significant and necessary within native ecosystems. Now, having said that, let’s be honest: sometimes some get a bit more recognition than others. Sometimes an animal has a dirty but essential job that needs doing. Take for example the noble turkey vulture, a species which can even be found right here in Washington.

We call them turkey vultures, but their scientific name hints at their role in an ecosystem; they are Cathartes aura, the Cleansing Wind. They are the clean-up crew, the ones that help make sure the rest of the ecosystem is nice and clean. And in this case, clean means free of dead and rotting meat, which helps protect us and other animals from harmful diseases and illness. Turkey vultures have amazing noses and can use smell alone to locate a carcass from over a mile away! They survive by eating what would make most of us decide to pass on our lunches if we were able to so much as sniff their meals.

So in honor of one of nature’s gastronomical gladiators please join us Saturday, September 5th when we will be celebrating International Vulture Awareness Day at the zoo. Learn more about not just turkey vultures but their cousins around the globe during our daily flight programs. Younger explorers can see just how researchers band, weigh and track these amazing animals and their more endangered relatives. They'll get to try their hand at being a bit of a vulture themselves, minus the diet of course. There will even be works of art created by the zoo’s own turkey vulture, Modoc.

Let’s shine the spotlight on these amazing creatures, their lives and their place within our environment.

Fine art by Modoc himself!

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Photos by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo unless otherwise noted

Last October 24, 2014, three little lion cubs were born to mom Adia and dad Xerxes. Since then, the cubs have stolen more than a few hearts as we've watched them grow into rough and tumble pre-teens.

Then and Now: at two weeks old and at ten months old.

At just two weeks old, the lion cubs were already curious enough to keep Adia busy in the den. Filling their bellies with milk and going on tiny scouting adventures was supplemented with lots and lots of cat naps.

Cublets Mandla and Gandia at two weeks old. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

At six weeks old, the cubs aced their veterinary exam with flying colors, proving to be feisty and strong and by 11 weeks old they were ready to explore the outdoor exhibit with mom and dad.

They went Beast Mode in January...

And later that month, Xerxes picked out names for his three sons (with just a little help from the community) and Gandia, Mandla and Tandie were official. We even had a few tricks for telling them apart.

Xerxes with his three sons Tandie, Mandla and Gandia. Photo by Dennis Dow/WPZ.

Over the summer, the three little cublets have been playing, wrestling, eating (a lot) and having some major growth spurts! Right now, each cub weighs right around 150 lb. Their keepers say they love to eat anything and everything. They aren't picky.

The growing boys are getting stronger and stronger each day, but it is still easy to tell them apart from mom and dad.

Gandia is very curious and especially independent.

Mandla is a true momma's boy and loves to hang out with Adia.

Tandie loves to hang out with his dad, Xerxes, and is the most vocal of all the cubs.

Chewing and gripping sticks is still a favorite activity.

All of the cubs get along with each other as well as Adia and Xerxes, so the family has been bonding together as a pride since January. This is Xerxes first litter of cubs.

You could let your brother sleep, or...

The cubs often walk right over each other and seem to be quite comfortable lounging on top of their brother's head or swishing a tail atop his back.

The keepers use whisker patterns to tell the cubs apart, now that they are a bit older. This is similar to how researchers study big cats in the wild with camera trap images.

Pondering what he'll have for a snack in between lunch and second lunch.

Don't mind me, Dad, I'm just going to take a tiny nip...

Gandia's rosettes are still easy to spot, but they will fade over time as the cub reaches maturity.

The cubs are still growing and in a few more months (at a year old) they will reach Adia's shoulder height. With cooler temperatures rolling in this month, be sure to stop by the lion exhibit to see the three brothers frolicking in the fall leaves and taking advantage of perfect "tag-you're-it" weather!

Posted by: Caitlin Potter and Stacey Hammond, Education

If you visited the zoo during July, you may have seen a group of enthusiastic, orange-t-shirt wearing learners writing in their nature journals at the maned wolves exhibit, designing a scavenger hunt along the Northern Trail, typing away on computers at the building across from Bug World, observing the birds in the Tropical Rain Forest Dome, or reading about animals as they snuggled up in the den on the Discovery Loop.

ZooCrew students practice reading and writing at the zoo.

For five weeks this summer, twelve 6th and 7th grade students from Asa Mercer, Washington and Denny Middle Schools explored ecosystems, watersheds and science careers through the ZooCrew Summer Learning Program, Woodland Park Zoo’s middle school outreach program. The ZooCrew Summer Learning Program is a free program in which students participate in nature explorations and science investigations, meet and work with STEM professionals, produce and showcase their own film, participate in leadership and team building activities, and practice reading, writing, math and science. This summer, students not only explored and learned at the zoo, but also traveled all over western Washington exploring ecosystems!

We started the summer with an overnight trip to Camp Lyle McLeod on the Kitsap Peninsula. At Camp Lyle McLeod, we played team building games, swam in the lake, canoed and explored nature. We returned from camp ready to dive into an exploration of Washington’s ecosystems with a visit to the Cedar River Watershed Education Center, where we were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of our local watershed.

ZooCrew students canoe at Camp Lyle McLeod.

ZooCrew at the top of the Cedar River watershed enjoy the view.

In the second week of the program, the ZooCrew students were ready to apply their newfound knowledge about watersheds with a trip to Snoqualmie Pass and the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery where they learned about the top of the watershed. From biotic and abiotic components to producers, consumers, decomposers and more, they learned about the specific parts that make up an ecosystem. The students then started to make connections and learn how an ecosystem works. They also practiced their math and science skills with a water quality investigation to determine if Issaquah Creek was a good habitat for salmon (they found that it was: great news for the Issaquah Hatchery!).

ZooCrew students explore the top of the watershed at Snoqualmie Pass.

We kicked off our third week learning about the middle of the watershed with an exciting and stinky visit to Brightwater, a wastewater treatment plant and education facility in Woodinville. At Brightwater, ZooCrew students donned safety vests and hardhats to explore what happens to water when it leaves our homes. We saw fertilizer being made, discussed careers in water management, and went on a wastewater scavenger hunt.

ZooCrew ready to learn about wastewater management at Brightwater Treatment Plant.

The students continued to explore how humans impact the watershed by learning about some of the Woodland Park Zoo’s local Living Northwest conservation projects. We met curator Jenny Pramuk and learned about the zoo’s Oregon spotted frog repopulation project, observed and learned about barn swallow research from lead keeper Gretchen Albrecht and volunteer Anna Martin, and got a peek into the ongoing amphibian monitoring work done by ZooCorps volunteers Sophie, Emily and Katherine. We even got to explore the mysterious world of animal tracking with a field trip to Chinook Bend Natural Area led by IT’s certified tracker (and long-time ZooCrew volunteer) Chris Kluener! It was an eventful week that taught the ZooCrew students not only about the important conservation work done here at the zoo and in the community, but also about the diversity of urban wildlife living in their parks and yards.

Curator Jenny Pramuk gives ZooCrew students a special glimpse into the Oregon spotted frog breeding tanks.

ZooCrew students look for signs of wildlife with expert trackers at Chinook Bend Natural Area in Carnation, WA.

In our fourth week, we made our way to the bottom of the watershed with a behind-the-scenes visit to the Seattle Aquarium, a day of bird-watching and nature explorations at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, a salmon science investigation at the Ballard Locks fish ladder, and a day of tide pooling at Lincoln Park. Students got a chance to learn about marine wildlife, wetlands and estuaries. They also continued to practice writing and drawing in their nature journals and learned about how journaling is a tool that scientists use to make observations and record their findings.

ZooCrew students use binoculars to observe a Northern harrier at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Students get their hands and feet wet tide pooling at Lincoln Park.

Throughout the summer, students also had an opportunity to meet scientists, observe them at work, and ask questions about their career paths. These career expeditions were full of exciting hands-on experiences: making a cloud in a bottle with University of Washington climatologists, meeting an octopus and talking to veterinarians and marine biologists at the Seattle Aquarium, and experiencing a few of the many career opportunities in the zoo world from WPZ’s own ZooCorps summer interns. By the end of the summer, several students were talking about wanting to be zoologists, biologists and field conservationists when they grow up.

ZooCrew meeting climatologists at the University of Washington Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

ZooCrew learn about marine careers at the Seattle Aquarium.

ZooCrew students also spent time throughout the summer filming and photographing their explorations, investigations and experiences. Part way through the summer, professional filmmaker Jonah Kozlowski visited the students at the zoo and led a workshop on filmmaking. In the fifth and final week of the program, the students took what they had learned from Jonah, sorted through hundreds of photos and video clips, recorded voice-overs, and put together a 25 minute film about their summer experience. Not only was the filmmaking project a great opportunity for the students to learn how to make a film, use technology, learn how to use the Movie Maker program and reflect on their summer experience, but it was also a chance for them to learn the importance of sharing their story, practice communication, and develop literacy skills.

Students work on editing their film.

In the final week, the students hosted ZooCrew’s Family Night. The students took their families and friends on a tour of the zoo and practiced public speaking as they presented their film.

ZooCrew students and their families at ZooCrew Family Night!

Video: ZooCrew middle school students at Woodland Park Zoo.

In the final days of the program, the students took the ferry across Puget Sound and visited IslandWood to put their teamwork to the test and to reflect on their summer experience. It was evident that the students not only had fun in the program, but also learned a lot! Maya, a student from Asa Mercer Middle School, said “I got better at communicating with people.” Milo, a student from Denny Middle School, shared “I learned a lot of stuff, like how a watershed works. Next year, we have a huge test at school about the watershed and I feel strong about the topic now!” And Mahalia, from Washington Middle School, summed up the way many people involved in the summer felt when she said “I learned what an ecosystem is and what a watershed is. I got better at teamwork and being able to write more about things that I see. Overall I had a really fun time this summer and I want to come back next year!”

For the ZooCrew Summer Learning Program students, the learning and exploring is not over. All of the students are invited to participate in the ZooCrew afterschool program at their schools, which starts in the fall.

ZooCrew students enjoy the ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island.

Thanks to all who helped make the ZooCrew Summer Learning Program a success! We are looking forward to the ZooCrew school year and future summers ahead!

Posted by: Daniel Solomon Okena, Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife

YUS Rangers conducting monthly patrol of the densely forested YUS Conservation Area. Photo: TKCP-WPZ.

Steep mountainous terrains, thick dense forest, and narrow walking tracks shifting due to landslides and floods. The environment I live in is extremely harsh and unforgiving, and may seem uninhabitable. But our people have been living here for many generations.

TKCP Research and Monitoring Coordinator Daniel Okena conducting survey of plant species in tree kangaroo ecological research site in YUS Conservation Area. Photo: Lisa Dabek/TKCP-WPZ

Here, we build a hut, plant a garden and hunt for our food. We collect our water, firewood, building materials and food from the surrounding land. We teach our children how to do the same. A great thing about living in this environment – everything is free! We pay no rent or water bills, we do not have to buy our land, and our food and building materials are simply free. All we need to do is manage these resources sustainably.

The concept of conservation is not new to us. Traditionally, our village chiefs and elders were entrusted to be the stewards of the land; a great privilege and honor. Some of the land outside of our villages is declared off-limits, or tambu. These areas are believed to be controlled by powerful unseen beings. Trespassers and their families will be cursed with bad fortune or death. These tambu areas then serve as reserves, regenerating and repopulating the entire forest.

It is a great honor to continue the legacy of stewarding my environment and its resources. Although the challenge is greater than it once was, Woodland Park Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) has trained me to monitor changes in my unique forest, with its incredible terrains flowing with breathtaking creeks and rivers. As a YUS (Yopno-Uruwa-Som) Conservation Area Ranger, I spend one week every month patrolling my environment. Equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a pen and datasheet, safety boots, camping gear and rations, I look for the presence of some of our forest’s different animals. I also observe and record any signs of illegal activity within the YUS Conservation Area, and report violators to the landowner to take the matter before the local courts.

Community volunteers learn techniques for ecological monitoring in the coastal areas of the YUS Conservation Area, PNG. Photo: TKCP-WPZ.

Patrolling in the Conservation Area is no easy task. Some areas are very far from the villages, with steep hills and mountains, deep valleys, and no walking tracks. But, as YUS Conservation Area Rangers, we roam with the strong conviction that our efforts are for the long-term benefit of our people. We walk for miles through the wind, rain and cold, and under the relentless heat of the sun to fulfill our honorable duties.

YUS Landowners and community leaders discuss local conservation and development priorities during community-based monitoring workshop in Yawan village, YUS, PNG. Photo: Trevor Holbrook/TKCP-WPZ.

Apart from our Ranger work, we also have family to look after. When we are not on patrol, we spend time with our families, tending our gardens and hunting in the hunting zone areas so that our families can enjoy life in this part of the world. Our patrol allowance from TKCP helps us to pay school fees for our children and support our extended family members. It is great to be a YUS Conservation Area Ranger, but it is not without its challenges. The area is quite big, and it can be difficult to cover our entire patrol routes each month. But with the help from community members across the YUS region, we can all contribute by respecting the protected areas and exposing any violations. We must urge our neighbors to adhere so that our children and our children’s children will have the privilege to enjoy the magnificent environment that we now enjoy.

Certified community-based marine monitoring volunteers from Ronji and Singorokai villages along the coast of YUS, PNG. Photo: TKCP-WPZ.

Posted by: Eli Weiss, Education
Adapted from a blog post that first appeared on The Ocean Project.

Woodland Park Zoo, along with our partners the Seattle Aquarium and Pacific Science Center are working together to build the Seattle Youth Climate Action Network (CAN). The goal of this project supported by The Ocean Project’s Innovative Solutions Grants+ is to train and support teen leaders, helping them create a campaign that encourages their peers to take measurable action on the issue of climate change.

In collaboration with partner staff and community agencies and organization, we are beginning to build local support and enthusiasm for the project. Seattle Youth CAN is picking up momentum—we have had a handful of successful events and have already learned a lot about starting a local youth network.

Our training model for this effort has included engaging teen participants in hands-on action; a full day of instruction on climate science, communication strategies and local examples of climate action; and a campaign design workshop for the leadership group.

Training Part 1: Leading with action

We began our training with an inspirational day of action. In collaboration with Forterra and Green Seattle Partnership, 30+ Seattle area teens planted over 200 trees and native plants along a high traffic bike path in North Seattle. The event was an energetic gathering, and participants enthusiastically planted trees to offset Woodland Park Zoo’s carbon emissions through the Evergreen Carbon Capture Program.

Training Part 2: Climate leadership workshop

A month later, we brought 40+ teens from the three institutions to the zoo for leadership training on climate change science, communication strategies and action. To spark ideas for their own campaign, teens heard from local organizations and agencies and explored examples of climate action. Among the presenters was staff from Climate Solutions, Seattle City Light-Community Solar Program and Forterra. Each community partner shared their own work and pitched project ideas for how Seattle Youth CAN could partner with them. At the end of a full day of learning, participants shared which action campaign ideas they were interested in through a survey and small group discussions. Teens left the workshop energized and ready to get Seattle Youth CAN off the ground.

Training Part 3: Campaign design workshop for youth leaders

As the next step, a climate campaign design committee was formed with teen representatives from each institution. This committee met every other week to come up with a focus and plan for a summer action campaign. I facilitated this group process along with support from staff from our partner institutions. Rather than reinventing the wheel we used existing models for campaign design, and committee members participated in a workshop on behavior change from the zoo’s audience research staff experts. The committee hosted teens and staff from the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s Unplug for an OA campaign, and participated in a King County community forum to gather their input to help inform an updated Climate Action Plan for the County.

Crafting the pilot campaign

After several months of research, planning and meetings, our campaign design committee chose to launch a transportation action campaign. Their research and interaction with city and county experts found that over 45% of Seattle’s carbon dioxide emissions comes from local transportation choices. The group felt that making smarter transportation choices would be something their peers could actually do to measurably reduce their carbon emissions.

While they are still working out the details with the message and tactics, we know the teens will be inviting their peers to participate in a challenge to reduce their carbon footprint by increasing their use of public transit, biking, walking and carpooling. With the help of our evaluation staff, the group developed an evaluation plan using an online platform hosted by King County Metro’s Ride Share Online program to track participation in the challenge. At the start of the challenge, participants will complete a baseline survey to help the group measure behavior change for participating teens over the course of the month. In addition, we will be working with local transportation agencies and organizations to increase teen awareness of how to make smart transportation choices through events and activities. Teen leaders at each institution will promote the challenge with their peers and they hope to engage 100+ participants in action.

Expanding interest

Since our action event and full day workshop earlier in the year, we have continued to organize monthly Seattle Youth CAN events. These events are designed to enable other teens from the three institutions to get involved and deepen their understanding of Seattle Youth CAN and related climate change issues. Recently, teens organized and hosted an event at Woodland Park Zoo, “The Impacts of Climate Change on Wildlife.” We had over 60 youth attend the full day event which included presentations from local climate scientists from NOAA and The University of Washington, as well as youth-led, climate-focused tours of the zoo and community building activities. More than half of the teens who attended were new to Seattle Youth CAN and we were excited to see the continued enthusiasm for our growing network.

Learning as we go

We’re feeling good about our progress and the identity we are building through the network, the trainings and events that have been well attended by our teens, and the support we have received from our partner institutions and community supporters. Our teen leaders and other members of the network are eager to finally launch the action campaign and be able to share with their institutions and peers how they plan to take action to reduce carbon emissions.

Creating a structure for truly youth driven action and leadership, while also providing participants with enough resources and support is at the core of our program model. Our teens live busy and complex lives and creating a leadership opportunity with the right mix of structure and space is something we continue to work on. After many months of supporting the group in moving their planning forward, we are proud to announce that the challenge has officially launched!

Next moves

In September teens and staff will focus their efforts on planning for the Youth Climate Summit that we will host on October 10 at Woodland Park Zoo. At this event our campaign leadership group will have the opportunity to share the results of their transportation challenge with a large audience of peers. We also see this event as the opportunity to expand our network beyond the current three institutions and invite other Seattle area teens to join Seattle Youth CAN.

I believe that with continued support, we can expand this network to be inclusive of all youth in our area who want to get involved in climate action. I am also hopeful that, as we refine our model, it will be something that can be shared and used by groups around the country looking to engage youth in collective action.

What gives me hope

Skylar Widman, a high school intern at Woodland Park Zoo and active member of the climate campaign design committee, recently shared his experiences in Seattle Youth CAN:

“Before CAN I tried to make choices that helped the environment and now I realize that there are many other teens that want to take action and that as a group we can have a greater impact in fighting climate change.”

Posted by: Alissa Wolken, Communications

The infamous “grumpy” look on Misawa's face that turned him into a viral sensation. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo is preparing to say goodbye to its tallest baby, 2-year-old male giraffe Misawa (me-SAW-wah). The infamous “grumpy face” giraffe will pack his bags in early October and travel south to Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas to begin his own family.

Misawa was born at Woodland Park Zoo on August 6, 2013. He is the son of 8-year-old female Olivia and 7-year-old male Chioke, who passed away before Misawa was born from complications associated with his gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. “Misawa’s birth was particularly significant for Woodland Park Zoo,” explained Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at the zoo. “He not only carries on the genes of his late father Chioke, but he was also the first viable giraffe born at the zoo since 1997; his set of circumstances makes his story, and him, all the more extraordinary.”

The zoo introduced Misawa to the public by revealing incredible footagefrom his birth that included him standing for the first time. He became a viral sensation at just 1 day old when the zoo shared his first photo featuring the legendary “grumpy face” look. “It is ironic that the media deemed him the ‘grumpy faced giraffe’ because he is far from a grump,” said zookeeper Katie Ahl. “He is a lot like his father Chioke; he’s very sweet-tempered and affectionate.”

The first few days were spent nursing and bonding with mom inside the Giraffe Barn, but it wasn’t long before Misawa ventured into the outdoor area of the barn. Mom Olivia and Aunt Tufani were never too far from his side—and often right on top of him! Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

Over the past two years, Misawa has grown from a goofy, long-legged calf into a playful explorer. When he was about 3 months old he began to venture out onto the vast savanna exhibit. While he stayed by his mom Olivia’s side at first, he grew more and more adventurous with time, eventually roaming the exhibit on his own and interacting with his neighbors the zebra, oryx, gazelle and ostrich.

At almost 1-year-old Misawa met 2-year-old male giraffe Dave, his new exhibit mate, and closest friend. “Dave arrived from Brookfield Zoo to join our zoo’s herd and Misawa was absolutely taken with his new playmate,” said Ahl. “Dave had a younger sibling at Brookfield so he knew how to handle little ones with ease; he did a great job of taking Misawa’s affectionate licks and head rubs.”

At around 7-feet-tall, and nearly three months old, Misawa was ready to begin exploring the vast savanna exhibit with mom Olivia. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

Misawa celebrated his second birthday with mom, aunt Tufani and best bud Dave this past August with a special giraffe treat made of apples, carrots, yams and omolene frozen in a popsicle cake with leaf eater biscuit candles. “We knew he would be heading to his new home in the fall so we wanted to make his last birthday in Seattle special,” said Ahl. “It’s been a pleasure watching him grow from a 6-foot-tall curious calf into the 12-foot-tall (over 1500 pound) loving, adventurous guy he is today. It’s hard to say what it will be like after he leaves; it will be different that’s for sure. He’ll definitely be missed by his Seattle family.”

Misawa celebrated his first and second birthday in style. Photo by Katie Ahl/Woodland Park Zoo

Misawa has been paired with a female giraffe at Gladys Porter Zoo under a breeding recommendation made by the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative breeding program to ensure genetic diversity and demographic stability in North American zoos. Woodland Park Zoo participates in 95 SSPs, overseen by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Led by experts in husbandry, nutrition, veterinary care, behavior, and genetics, SSPs manage populations in North America to maximize their genetic and demographic diversity with the goal of ensuring their long-term survival. SSPs also involve a variety of other collaborative conservation activities such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects.

Woodland Park Zoo's giraffes (from left to right) Olivia, Dave, Misawa and Tufani. Photo by Stan Milkowski/Woodland Park Zoo

Under the SSP, Dave has been recommended to breed with Olivia and Tufani; the plan is to breed him with both ladies in 2016. Visitors can see Woodland Park Zoo’s remaining giraffe on the award-winning African Savanna.
Giraffe fans can help support conservation efforts by visiting Woodland Park Zoo and supporting Wildlife Survival Fund projects, including the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, which seeks to provide the first long-term ecological monitoring effort of the Angolan giraffe—an important desert-dwelling giraffe subspecies in north-western Namibia. Visit www.zoo.org/conservationto learn more about the zoo’s conservation partnerships taking place in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

The zoo's little guy (at one-month-old on the left) is all grown up (at 2-years-old on the right) and ready to start his own family at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. Photo by Katie Ahl/Woodland Park Zoo

Bon voyage, Misawa! We are certainly going to miss you!

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Photos by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The two tiniest members of our Humboldt penguin colony received their first exam last week at the Animal Health Department. The chicks—the 49th and 50th Humboldt penguins to hatch at Woodland Park Zoo since 2010—were given a clean bill of health by our animal care experts and Associate Veterinarian Dr. Kelly Helmick. The chicks hatched in July, just days apart, so they are both right at the two month mark. While keepers have been weighing and monitoring their growth and health all along, their first official neonatal exam is an important milestone in their development.

The exam consisted of anesthetizing the young birds to allow veterinary technicians to collect a blood sample, taking a cloacal culture, giving appropriate vaccinations, and injecting a small transponder under the skin. The blood work tells the vets a lot about the health of the penguin chicks, and it’s also the best way to determine their sex at this young age.

Here’s a look at the entire penguin exam process, from start to finish:

The penguins are delivered to the Animal Health Department by their keeper, Celine. They are placed into an animal crate (similar to your pet’s crate at home), and when they arrive you can hear their curious chirps. Celine is by their side throughout the exam to keep them calm. The keepers spend time with the hatchlings each day to get them used to handling and eating fish. The chicks are regularly weighed to make sure they are hitting their growth benchmarks.

First things first veterinary technician Kimberly waves a metal detector across the chick’s belly. Humboldt penguins are notorious for swallowing anything shiny, such as keys and coins which could be hazardous to their health. While most zoo visitors would never toss objects into the penguin exhibit, it has been known to happen—often unintentionally. A metal detector may find coins and potentially sharp metal objects such as screws or bobby pins, which are common and can be very dangerous. A metal detector is not foolproof. If abnormalities are suspected a radiograph may give better indication of foreign body injection.

You might think penguin chicks are adorable, but they make quite feisty patients!

No beep! The chick has passed Kimberly’s test with flying colors.

Next, the chick is anesthetized. Much like a human patient, the chick simply breathes to allow the general anesthesia to work. A tiny penguin-sized oxygen cup is placed over the chick’s beak and face. Unlike a human patient, the penguin chick tries to strike the vet staff.

“We raise them feisty!” jokes Celine. She’s not surprised at the chick’s behavior; the animal has never been outside of the penguin exhibit before and with relatively little contact with people, it isn’t used to the attention. After a few minutes the chick is relaxed and sacked out, ready for the exam.

Celine assists veterinary technicians Barb and Kimberly by laying the penguin belly-down on a soft, pink towel, feet sticking out back. A heart monitor is clipped to the penguin’s toes. To keep the chick cozy during the procedure, Dr. Kelly places a warm water bag over its little legs.

Celine gives tactile pats to the penguin’s chest which helps stimulate normal breathing and encourages inhaling the anesthesia. Seabirds tend to instinctually hold their breath as if diving which could interrupt the anesthesia. Watching and monitoring breathing on a patient during any exam is very important. They all give the bird a few moments to rest before the procedure begins. As veterinary staff performs a quick blood draw and vaccinate the chick against West Nile virus, Celine fills Dr. Kelly in on their daily routine and any health concerns she might have. It's up to the keepers who spend the most time with the animals to tell the vet if anything unusual has occurred. At the moment, all Celine has noted is their growing appetite!

Dr. Kelly places a stethoscope against the penguin’s chest and checks its heartbeat. She then does a closer visual check on its beak, inside the mouth and the eyes. She notes the exam is “unremarkable” which in veterinary language means all is well.

Before the anesthesia wears off, the veterinary technicians must do one last thing. A tiny transponder, about the size of a TicTac, is inserted into the left pectoral muscle. When scanned, this transponder sends short wave radio signals to let keepers or vet staff safely identify each bird. This way, all of the bird’s medical history and records are easily tracked.

As the oxygen cup is removed, the young penguin begins to show signs of awareness. First the feet begin to flick and soon the chick is fully awake. Celine places the penguin upright, with its feet firmly planted on the floor of the exam room. A bit groggy, the chick surveys the room and regains its balance. Celine continues to speak softly to the bird and massages its neck and cheeks, a little penguin TLC. Finally, the chick sticks its beak straight into the air and puffs up its chest, wings outstretched.

“There we go, that’s the penguin I know!” Celine laughs as Dr. Kelly takes a closer look at the bird’s defensive stance. “She’s one tough cookie.”

Celine guides the penguins back into the animal crate, and drapes a towel over the top to create a cozy, calming transport back to the penguin exhibit. The young chicks will spend the rest of the afternoon in a quiet area where they can rest, relax and later—when their appetites return—eat a whole lot of fish!

Back in the Animal Health building, Dr. Kelly, Kimberley and Barb clean up from the exam and prepare for their next patient. Dr. Kelly will send the penguins’ blood work to a lab where it will be tested for any abnormalities. The results, as well as the sex of the penguins, are returned in about one week.

Pictured above is a weigh in at just a few days old, they sure have grown! At the most recent exam, the penguins weighed 3.15 kg (6.9 lb.) and 3.39 kg (7.5 lb.) Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Weigh-ins will continue through adulthood for these penguins—keepers weigh each penguin once a month to track their health. We’re also able to keep a close eye on how the birds are doing by hand feeding them every day. This way we can make sure that each individual is getting their nutritional fill, about two pounds of fish each day. Any vitamins and medication they may require is administered orally via a whole fish.

For now, the two youngest penguins are building up to their debut by first meeting members of the colony in a behind-the-scenes area of the exhibit, introducing them slowly to their larger social world. Thoughtful introductions like this help young penguins acclimate better to the colony, adapt more quickly to their surroundings, and ease the transition of going onto exhibit for the first time. Airplanes, wild birds, public noise and activity, exhibit glass, rushing and deep water, and territorial adults are a lot for little penguins to take in. It’s not easy growing up penguin; there’s a lot to learn!

Thanks to our devoted penguin keepers and top-notch animal health staff, we know these two tuxedo-clad babes are in good hands.

Swim on, #49 and #50!

Posted by: Fred Koontz, Ph.D., Vice President of Field Conservation

Here’s your chance to tell the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) how much you care about our local animals and habitats.

Jim Unsworth, WDFW Director, has announced an exciting new multi-year initiative, Washington’s Wild Future: A Partnership for Fish and Wildlife. The idea is to seek public comments and ideas to strengthen the department’s relationships with communities, increase support for conservation and outdoor recreation, and help ensure the department meets the public’s needs.

Woodland Park Zoo has partnered with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for nearly 25 years, including on the recovery of the endangered western pond turtle. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Four regional public forums have been scheduled for October. Each meeting will begin with a presentation about the importance of fish and wildlife to Washington’s quality of life and the economies of its local communities. Participants will then be invited to speak with department representatives, as well as Dr. Unsworth.

Four upcoming Wild Futures meetings are scheduled for 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

Oct. 6 – WDFW Mill Creek Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd, Mill Creek.
Oct. 8 – Saint Martin’s University, Norman Worthington Conference Center, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey.
Oct. 14 – Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver.
Oct. 20 – Port of Chelan County Confluence Technology Center, 285 Technology Center Way, Wenatchee.

It is very important that Dr. Unsworth, who is new to Washington and WDFW, hears from the public their strong support for wildlife conservation. I hope you can attend one of these meetings, or alternatively, leave written suggestions and comments on Washington’s Wild Future webpage.

On October 6, zoo staff will release about 750 headstarted, endangered Oregon spotted frogs into their wetlands habitat in Pierce County. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo for nearly 25 years has worked closely with WDFW on a variety of species and wildlife issues, including western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and carnivore conservation. We are grateful for our partnership with WDFW and for their hard work protecting Washington’s rich diversity of fish and wildlife, but at the same time we are concerned about the future of wildlife in our state. Dr. Unsworth’s call to work with the public to build a stronger and more effective Fish and Wildlife is both timely and urgent.

A remote camera captures the moment a wolverine approaches a non-invasive hair snare. These monitoring techniques, set up by Woodland Park Zoo Senior Conservation Fellow Robert Long, enable researchers to take identifying images and collect hair for genetic research. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo.

As human numbers inevitably increase in coming years, development will likely cause significant habitat loss and fragmentation, and as a result we will witness an accelerating number of threatened species. From our perspective, the department should be less reactive and more proactive in addressing biodiversity conservation. Best management practice suggests taking actions before species become endangered. But this will require additional funds for the department and more strategic and stronger partnerships between WDFW, academia, businesses, civic leaders, citizens, non-profit organizations and other state agencies. In the long run, a more proactive approach to protect all species will cost less and is much more likely to protect human wellbeing and our local economies than trying to rescue endangered species.

Plans are being considered by federal and state officials to restore grizzly bears in North Cascades National Park. In coming months, when the final proposal is submitted for public review, we will be asking you to speak up for Washington grizzly bears! Photo courtesy of Western Wildlife Outreach, a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife.

At Woodland Park Zoo, we believe that protecting wildlife is essential in order to build a resilient and sustainable Washington for our children and future generations. Here are a few points I will make to Dr. Unsworth and Washington’s Wild Future initiative:

•A healthy, sustainable Washington for people and animals requires that WDFW and its partners proactively manage and protect “all species for all constituents.”
•WDFW is currently underfunded and in urgent need of additional financial resources.
•Wildlife management decisions ought to be based on science and expert advice, not political compromise. This is especially true for carnivores like wolves, grizzly bears and cougars.
•Protecting wildlife in Washington would benefit greatly by WDFW increasing the number and variety of its strategic partnerships, as citizen participation from a broad group of stakeholders will be necessary to demonstrate the public’s strong desire to invest in wildlife conservation.
• Woodland Park Zoo stands ready to help WDFW in its efforts to protect our state’s precious wildlife heritage.

Please join me in sharing your support for wildlife by participating in the Washington’s Wild Future. Speaking up is one of the most important actions you can make to both save animals and create a sustainable world!

Posted by: Lavaniadevi Gopalakrishnan, Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT), a grantee of Woodland Park Zoo's Wildlife Survival Fund

Editor’s Note: Adapted from an article originally published in MYCAT Tracks: The Malaysian Tiger’s Struggle for Existence, Vol 5 2014. Woodland Park Zoo and MYCAT collaborate to enhance tiger and rain forest conservation in Peninsular Malaysia. In June 2016, 14 Association of Zoos & Aquariums tiger keepers, including WPZ’s Christine Anne, will travel to Malaysia to participate in a special CAT Walk designed for zoo professionals.

CAT Walk volunteers supplement official anti-poaching patrols. Photo: Fred Koontz/Woodland Park Zoo.

Footsteps echo in the forest. A group of people hike in a single line along a logging road, their eyes scrutinising the trail for something. They are seen almost every weekend here, in a relatively unknown part of the Malaysian forest, occasionally even spending the night in the forest. Who are these people, and what are they looking for?

A poacher's snare hidden in a tree. Photo: Fred Koontz/Woodland Park Zoo.

They are members of the general public, MYCAT volunteers participating in its flagship programme, Citizen Action for Tigers (CAT). CAT involves citizen conservationists in the protection of an important wildlife corridor along Sungai Yu in Pahang. This stretch of forest is divided by a highway that provides ease of access for poachers into the adjacent Taman Negara. The premise behind the CAT programme is simple. Wrongdoers are unlikely to carry out their activities in a place frequented by people, especially those who are alert to the possibility of crimes in progress. Similar to a neighbourhood watch (or Rukun Tetangga for Malaysians), MYCAT has brought this idea one step further — into our forests to jointly safeguard our wildlife and heritage, complementing the patrol efforts by Taman Negara rangers inside the park.

Evidence of a poacher’s camp. Photo: Fred Koontz/Woodland Park Zoo.

With the ultimate goal of protecting and recovering the tiger population in the corridor and Taman Negara, CAT enables volunteer conservationists not only to deter poaching and encroachment by their mere presence, but also to save wildlife by deactivating snares or traps found during a guided recreational walk. Some tricky walks are guided by local Orang Asli. If volunteers encounter any suspicious activities, they call the 24-7 Wildlife Crime Hotline. MYCAT then relays the information to the authorities for action. In effect, CAT Walk provides much needed boots on the ground and eyes and ears in the forest. And most importantly, CAT Walk slowly but surely nurtures a sense of ownership and stewardship over nature amongst the volunteers, moulding them into future conservation champions.

CAT Walkers celebrate finding a cache of snares hidden in a tree trunk. Photos: Fred Koontz/Woodland Park Zoo.

Since the programme’s inception in 2010, 550 volunteers of 24 nationalities have detected and deactivated 83 snares, while walking 584 km in the corridor! Presently, MYCAT is seeing a declining trend of threats to wildlife, suggesting poachers are slowly being rooted out from the area. Occasionally, tiger pugmarks or images of sambar on camera traps are starting to welcome volunteers.

Data from camera traps allow park rangers to predict routes for anti-poaching patrols. Photo: Kae Kawanishi, MYCAT.

Today, CAT Walk is very popular, showing that the public is willing to take up the reins to help protect endangered wildlife. The mantle of responsibility is not only taken up by individual members of the public, but also shared by some corporations willing to donate their staff time to walk the corridor as green corporate social responsibility.

Estimated to be 130 million years old, the rain forest of Taman Negara is nearly twice as old as the Amazon rain forest. Photo: Fred Koontz/Woodland Park Zoo.

Strong support from the public fuels MYCAT’s hope of expanding the CAT programme to other important tiger habitats. Is this possible? Can an individual really make a difference in saving a species nearing extinction? The indisputable answer is yes! Find out more online with MYCAT.

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications

Watch: Chris Pratt and Anna Faris name Woodland Park Zoo baby penguin.

Actors Anna Faris and Chris Pratt and their son Jack were invited to name Woodland Park Zoo’s 50th Humboldt penguin chick. Pratt and Faris grew up in the Seattle area and love Woodland Park Zoo. The name they selected—Eagle—honors their local roots.

Eagle the penguin chick. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

After acing his first veterinary exam last week, Eagle continues to do well and is now spending time out in the exhibit with the colony. You can identify him by his blue band—try to spot him soaring through the water on your next visit!

Watch Eagle soar...underwater. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Become a ZooParent today and adopt Eagle the penguin chick. Your adoption helps us provide daily care for Eagle and all the animals at the zoo, while also supporting conservation for penguins and other species threatened with extinction.

Eagle (left) is the 50th penguin chick hatched at Woodland Park Zoo since 2010. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo.

Reasons for Hope on Global Tiger Day

Winners of the MyZoo Kids’ Thank a Tiger Hero Contest

Hands-on summer learning

How to track your (Komodo) dragon

Native turtles return to wild to rebuild Northwest populations

To hand raise a wallaroo joey, it takes a village and a mob

The first days of hand raising

Learning wallaroo ways

Breathe easy: Gorilla Vip recovers from successful sinus surgery

Honoring World Orangutan Day

The trees are alive with the sound of siamangs!

Monkey conservationists stretch their wings to rehabilitate injured bird

Turkey vultures get their day

Lion cubs at 10 months old

ZooCrew middle schoolers explore Washington’s watersheds

The Life of a Papua New Guinea Conservation Ranger

Seattle Youth Climate Action Network teens launch climate challenge

Training Part 1: Leading with action

Training Part 2: Climate leadership workshop

Training Part 3: Campaign design workshop for youth leaders

Crafting the pilot campaign

Expanding interest

Learning as we go

Next moves

What gives me hope

Bon voyage, Misawa! The lovable “grumpy face” giraffe departs zoo in October.

Penguin Chick Check-Up

Speak up for Washington’s Wild Future!

A walk on wild’s side

Chris Pratt, Anna Faris and son name Woodland Park Zoo baby penguin